Government of the Rio de la Plata
The Government of the Rio de la Plata was a colonial administration created in 1617 by Spain in the area around the Rio de la Plata basin. It had three provinces which were created in different moments.
It was part of the Viceroyalty of Peru until 1776 when its status was lifted and converted into viceroyalty on its own.
Rio de la Plata district governors
Adelantado, Captain General, and Justice Major Pedro de Mendoza (1534-1537). Founds Buenos Aires. Ft. Corpus Christi founded by Juan de Ayolas
Adelantado and Captain General Juan de Ayolas (1537-1539). Asuncion founded by Gonzalo de Mendoza
Governor Domingo Martinez de Irala (interim 1539-1541). Orders to abandon Buenos Aires, the population refuses and the fort is burnt
Adelantado Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca (1541-1544). Leads a victourious campaign against the native Americans in 1542. A mutiny of Spanish officials send him back to Spain
Governor Domingo Martinez de Irala (interim 1544-1556). Solves the problem with the natives through blood blending rather than by force
Governor Gonzalo de Mendoza (interim 1556-1558). Nuflo de Chavez founded Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Guayra founded by Ruy Diaz de Malgarejo in 1557
Lieutenant Governor Francisco Ortiz de Vergara (1558-1569). Fails to populate San Francisco and Sancti Spiritus.
Governor and Captain General Juan Ortiz de Zarate (1569-1576). Sailed to Spain to confirm being appointed. Felipe de Caceres becomes the de facto governor. Tucuman founded.
Lieutenant governor Juan de Garay (1576-1587). Juan Torres de Vera y Aragon was appointed but due to conflicts, de Garay was the defacto governor. Refounds Buenos Aires in 1580.
Adelantado Juan Torres de Vera y Aragon (1587-1591). Hearer in the Audiencia of Charcas. Last person to be appointed Adelantado by the crown.
Lieutenant Governor Hernando Arias de Saavedra (1597-1599)
Governor Hernando Arias de Saavedra (1602-1609). Replaces Amerindian encomienda labor system with Jesuit Reductions. Restricts smuggling and the slave trade.
Buenos Aires Province governors
See also Viceroys list.
Hernando Arias de Saavedra (1614-1618). Secured a royal order to separate Paraguay (formerly Guayra) from the Government in 1617.
Diego de Gongora (1618-1623). Contraband is firmly settled under his tutelage. Allowed slaves and leather contraband. The Consejo de Indias found him guilty post-mortem in 1631
Francisco de Cespedes (1623-1631). Difficults contraband. Several efforts to pacify the charruas in the Banda Oriental (East Shore or East Bank of the Rio de la Plata)
Pedro Esteban Davila (1631-1637). Concepcion del Bermejo is destroyed by native Americans. Tries to restrict contraband.
Mendo de la Cueva y Benavidez (interim 1637-1641). Organizes the Buenos Aires defence. Expedition against the Calchaquis. Erects Fort Santa Teresa.
Jeronimo Luis de Cabrera (1641-1645). Afraid of the portuguese, forbades them from public positions and force them into a twenty league-away exile.
Jacinto Lariz (1645-1653). Supports invasions against the native Americans. Participates in contraband, among other felonies. Gets convicted in trial.
Pedro Baigorri Ruiz (1653-1660). Successfully defends Buenos Aires against a siege of three French ships. Successfully defends Santa Fe from the calchaquis.
Alonso Mercado y Villacorta (1660-1663). A request for royal authorization to commerce with two ships a year is denied. Allows Dutch ships to dock. Santa Fe gets its present location.
Juan Martinez de Salazar (1663-1674). Tries to suppress contraband. Sends several request for the port to be open for commerce. First surveillance of the native Americans in encomiendas.
Andres de Robles (1674-1678). Further develops the port's defence.
Jose de Garro (1678-1682). Dispatches and expedition that successfully expel Portuguese at Colonia de Sacramento in 1680
Jose de Herrera y Sotomayor (interim 1682-1691). Miguel de Salas y Valdes relocates Tucuman to its present location.
Agustin de Robles (1691-1698). Repairs the Buenos Aires fort.
Manuel de Prado y Maldonado (1698-1701). A danish squad arrives to Buenos Aires but withdrew after corroborating the city defences. Agreement with Portugal for the cession of the west shore of the Rio de la Plata.
Alonso Juan de Valdes e Inclan (1701-1707). Strengthens the Buenos Aires garrison due to the likelihood of British, Dutch, and Portuguese attacks. Besieges and takes Colonia de Sacramento.
Manuel de Velasco y Tejada (1708). Buys the charge for 3,000 pesos. Is apprehended and sent to Spain, with all his belongings taken.
Juan Jose de Muliloa (interim 17??-17??)
Alonso de Arce y Soria (1714). Buys the charge for 18,000 pesos. Dies five months later.
Jose Bermudez de Castro (interim 1714-1715)
Baltasar Garcia Ros (1715-1717). Returns Colonia de Sacramento to the Portuguese Governor. Campaigns against the charrua, yaro, and bohan in defense of the missions' guarani.
Bruno Mauricio de Zabala (1717-1734). Fights contraband. Expels from Montevideo the Portuguese that had established themselves in 1723.
Miguel de Salcedo y Sierraalta (1734-1742). Spain decreed the expulsion of foreigners from Buenos Aires. Unsuccessful attempt to reconquer Colonia de Sacramento
Domingo Ortiz de Rozas (1742-1745). Repaired the Buenos Aires fort, and activated Montevideo's defense. Survey of the Buenos Aires population: 16,091 people.
Jose de Andonaegui (1745-1756). Mail delivery with Chile and Potosi started being operational. Establishes the political and military government of Montevideo.
Pedro Antonio de Cevallos (1756-1766). King Carlos III of Spain nullifies the Colonia de Sacramento cesion treaty, orders its siege and forces the Portuguese capitulation. Mail service is improved.
Francisco de Paula Bucarelli y Ursua (1766-1770). English invade Falkland Islands but are expelled in 1770. Sea Mail is inaugurated between A Coruna and the Rio de la Plata.
Juan Jose de Vertiz y Salcedo (1770-1777)
See also
History of Argentina
History of Paraguay
Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata
Viceroyalty of Peru
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Government of the Rio de la Plata
